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The Mexican club is seeking a permanent transfer for the Greek striker

Would return to MLS as Zaha’s potential strike partnerNegotiations are still ongoingHasn’t trained with Cruz Azul in recent daysGet the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games nowGetty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED?

Cruz Azul has reportedly turned down a loan offer from Charlotte FC for Greek striker Giorgos Giakoumakis, as the Liga MX side is only interested in a permanent sale. According to MLS insider Tom Bogert, the Mexican club made it clear they have no intention of sending the player out on loan.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Giakoumakis, who previously played for Atlanta United, has experience in MLS and could be on the move again. Reports out of Mexico indicate Cruz Azul is looking to offload the forward outright after an underwhelming run – just nine goals in 34 appearances since joining

Despite the loan rejection, talks between the two clubs remain active, and Giakoumakis’ future is expected to be resolved in the coming days. The striker has also been absent from Cruz Azul training recently, reportedly without the club’s permission, signaling he’s no longer in manager Nicolás Larcamón’s plans.

Getty Images SportDID YOU KNOW?

Giakoumakis enjoyed a strong spell during his time in MLS, scoring 22 goals in 38 games with Atlanta United. His debut season earned him the 2023 MLS Newcomer of the Year award. Charlotte FC hope to pair him up front with Ivorian star Wilfried Zaha, creating one of the league’s most dynamic attacking duos.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR CHARLOTTE FC?

Charlotte currently sit ninth in the Eastern Conference with 32 points and will face Giakoumakis’ former team, Atlanta United, this Saturday in MLS Week 24.

Australia coach believes Maxwell needs to look at how he uses his rest periods follow the alcohol-related incident in Adelaide

Alex Malcolm24-Jan-2024Australia coach Andrew McDonald says star allrounder Glenn Maxwell needs to play his part when it comes to using his rest and recovery periods wisely after he was briefly hospitalised following a night out in Adelaide last Friday.Maxwell has not played any cricket since Melbourne Stars’ last BBL match on January 15. Before Friday’s incident in Adelaide, he had already been rested from Australia’s three-match ODI series with West Indies as part of his management around his previously broken leg. That meant Maxwell was not due to play again until February 9 when he is set to be part of Australia’s T20I side for the three-match series against West Indies.Maxwell was invited to a golf event in Adelaide and flew from his hometown of Melbourne to play on a very warm Adelaide afternoon. He then went drinking at a pub in the evening where he passed out and was taken to the emergency room of a hospital via ambulance and was later released without being admitted.Related

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CA investigates after Maxwell is hospitalised following alcohol-related incident

McDonald said Maxwell needed to have a look at the choices he was making after the selectors had given him an extra week off to rest before the T20I series.”I’ve spoken to Glenn, had a good chat with him yesterday around the incident,” McDonald told . “Him looking after himself needs to be a consideration moving forward. We’ve given him the opportunity to rest and rehab in that period of time and I suppose the lessons for him around that would be to take up his end of the bargain in that space and take care of himself.”We want to see Glenn Maxwell playing cricket for the next three to four years for Australia. Can he get to the next World Cup in 2027 in South Africa? Who knows. But he’s a key player in our white-ball formats. When he is out there we’re a far better team and on the back of that horrific injury that he did have, there’s going to be some management things that are put in place around him.”But we want Glenn Maxwell playing for Australia for as long as he can. We’re going to have to do our end and Glenn is no doubt going to have to hold up his end of the bargain.”All the information he’s given, he’s had a few drinks and clearly the night has ended the way that it did and that’s less than ideal from his perspective and our perspective. It’s an honest mistake. He needs to obviously have a look at what he’s doing at his end and is that the right thing to be doing at that time? Thankfully there’s no harm out of it. He’s well now.”That’s the other thing to consider in these instances, yes you can point the finger but there’s a duty of care from our end and he’s doing well and he looks as though he’ll return to play in that West Indies series in those T20 games which we’re excited for.”McDonald explained that the decision to rest Maxwell from the ODI series was on the back of the incident that had happened in November 2022 when Maxwell broke his leg in a horrific accident at a 50th birthday party. Maxwell himself said he needed “to be a bit smarter” about his management after he had to fly home from the South Africa tour last year due to soreness in his leg. McDonald added it was something he will need to do for the remainder of his career.The broken leg Glenn Maxwell suffered in late 2022 has continued to impact his recovery from matches•Getty Images”It’s a discussion we’ve had for the last couple of weeks just around where he’s at physically, on the back of that major injury he had,” McDonald said. “It’s well over 12 months ago now. But that injury hasn’t allowed him to do the things that he’s wanted to do over a period of time and recovery is one of the biggest problems that he has had, pulling up from games. He just started to flag that at the back end of the BBL.”For those who know one-day international cricket well, it’s probably one of the most demanding formats for any player. The amount of speed they have to move at in the field and with the bat. Obviously, Maxwell being a three-dimensional cricketer, we felt it was a prime opportunity just to give him a little bit of a chop out to get ready for the T20s.”That’s going to be an ongoing management problem with Glenn, we believe. We had some good results in the World Cup but also if you think back to before the World Cup, going to South Africa, we had to pull the same lever in terms of managing where his body is at. So it’s got to be a consideration for him, how he looks after himself moving forward for the longevity of his career. But we’ve also got to weigh into that with the way that we manage him and we feel as though this is the best for him at this point in time.”Maxwell had an outstanding ODI World Cup for Australia, however he did miss a game due to concussion after falling off the back of a golf cart.Meanwhile, uncapped Victoria allrounder Will Sutherland had been called into Australia’s ODI squad for the West Indies series as a replacement for injured paceman Nathan Ellis.

Skipper’s unbeaten 84 guides Tasmania to a four-wicket win over Queensland after an extraordinary Clayton century gave the hosts hope

AAP05-Feb-2024Jordan Silk has struck a classy unbeaten 84 to lead Tasmania to a four-wicket Sheffield Shield victory over Queensland inside three days at the Gabba.Chasing 224 for victory after Jack Clayton made an extraordinary 102 out of Queensland’s total of 160 in the second innings, Tasmania slumped to 13 for 2 and 99 for 4 on Monday, before Silk held the innings together with a match-winning captain’s knock.Silk was on track for his 12th first-class century, only for teammate Mitchell Owen (29 not out off 15 balls) to strike some lusty blows at the death to secure victory for Tasmania just before stumps on day three. The win keeps Tasmania on top of the Shield table, while Queensland are last with only one win and two draws from seven matches.Silk struck 13 fours in his unbeaten knock, but he paid special tribute to Tasmanian paceman Gabe Bell, who claimed player-of-the-match honours after returning figures of 4 for 40 and 6 for 39.”He’s going fantastic, career-best figures and a 10-wicket haul,” Silk said. “We don’t have that sort of [gettable] chase without his effort.”I’m really rapt with how everyone approached it. It was a good collective effort.”It’s not often we come here [to Brisbane] and get the points.”Queensland captain Jimmy Peirson was among the Bulls to struggle with sickness in the intense Brisbane heat. Clayton was physically ill during his epic 181-ball knock. Ben McDermott was the only other batter to reach double figures having fallen for 16 yesterday.”I’m feeling better today, but I was on my deathbed yesterday to be honest,” Peirson said.”It’s not fun, gastro. Unfortunately, we couldn’t get the win today, but [if we can get] three wins in our last three games, we’ll give ourselves a chance.”Tasmanian opener Caleb Jewell was the first wicket to fall in Tasmania’s chase when his wild slash resulted in an edge through to the keeper. The Tigers were in early trouble at 2 for 13 when Tim Ward’s attempted hook off a rising Mark Steketee delivery gave Peirson his second catch.Charlie Wakim (36) and Silk helped steady the ship with a 60-run stand. But when Gurinder Sandhu trapped Wakim lbw before finding the edge of Jake Doran’s bat 10 overs later, Tasmania were looking wobbly at four down and still needing 125 more runs to win.Silk and Beau Webster (28 off 41 balls) led the counter-attack as Tasmania got their run chase back on track. Webster struck three fours and a six, but his bid to keep the runs flowing came undone when he inside-edged Liam Guthrie onto his stumps.Bradley Hope added some handy runs, before Owen struck three fours and a six to shut the door completely on Queensland.

Here's everything you need to know about Barcelona's pre-season games and how to watch them.

Hansi Flick will lead FC Barcelona through a pivotal pre-season ahead of the 2025–26 campaign, marking a significant shift in the club's summer preparations.

Following a successful season under Flick, the Barcelona fans will be excited to head into a new season in the hopes of going even further with silverware.

Here, GOAL brings you everything you need to know about Barcelona's pre-season plans ahead of the 2025-26 season, plus ticket information, where to watch games live and more.

Getty Images SportBarcelona 2025 pre-season fixtures & results

Departing from their recent tradition of touring the United States, the Blaugrana will embark on an extensive tour of Asia, aiming to reconnect with their global fanbase and fine-tune their squad for the challenges ahead.

Barcelona kicked off their 2025/26 pre-season preparations on July 13, marking the official return to training under new head coach Hansi Flick. Shortly after regrouping, the squad embarked on a high-profile Asian tour as part of their build-up to the new La Liga season.

The Catalan giants had their friendly in Japan cancelled due to an issue with the sponsor, before they resolved the dispute to get the game going. They then faced Seoul and beat them 7-3. They will also face Daegu.

After completing the Asian leg of their tour, Barcelona will return to Spain to take part in the Joan Gamper Trophy on August 9. The match will serve as a pilot event at the revamped Spotify Camp Nou ahead of the 2025-26 season. The team is set to return to their iconic home permanently after the September international break.

This tour is a crucial part of Barcelona’s efforts to gear up for the upcoming campaign as they look to defend their La Liga title.

The pre-season will traditionally conclude with the Joan Gamper Trophy in early August, which typically serves as the curtain-raiser for the new La Liga campaign. 

The confirmed fixtures are as follows:

July 26Vissel Kobe 1-3 Barcelona11pm BST / 6am ETMisaki ParkJuly 31FC Seoul 3-7 Barcelona12pm BST / 7am ETSeoul World Cup StadiumAugust 4Daegu FC vs Barcelona12pm BST / 7am ETDaegu StadiumAdvertisementGetty ImagesBarcelona 2025 pre-season tour ticketsGet tickets to Barcelona's 2025 pre-season tourGet tickets

Read our comprehensive guide to buying Barcelona tickets here.

Barcelona's pre-season fixtures have been confirmed. You can buy the tickets from the link above.

How to watch Barcelona pre-season games on TV & livestream online

TV Details of Barcelona's pre-season fixtures have not been confirmed yet. Watch this space to find out how you can watch those games on TV as soon as they are announced.

Live streaming and highlights of all the club-friendly games and other behind-the-scenes action should be available to watch on Barcelona One, which is the club's official streaming platform.

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When does the 2025-26 season start for Barcelona?

The official La Liga fixtures for Barcelona's 2025-26 season have been announced. They will travel to Mallorca for their league opener on August 16.

Barcelona's first three games of the season are away from home, before they play Valencia at Camp Nou on September 14.

Barcelona's 2025-26 kits: All you need to know

He found it “pretty simple to calculate everything” in a tricky phase during Royals’ chase against Mumbai

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Apr-2024Riyan Parag’s promotion to No. 4 is paying dividends for Rajasthan Royals. It’s a position familiar to 22-year-old Parag, who topped the run-scoring charts – with 510 runs at an average of 85 and strike rate of 182.79 – in the latest edition of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. He has carried that form into IPL 2024.Coming into the game against Mumbai Indians on Monday on the back of a 29-ball 43 and an unbeaten 45-ball 84, Parag, with Royals in just a bit of trouble at 42 for 2 chasing 126, kept his calm and took them over the line with an unbeaten 39-ball 54. With 181 runs in three innings, he also became the joint-highest run-getter in IPL 2024 along with Virat Kohli, but ahead on the list because of a superior strike rate.Related

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Boult, Chahal and Parag make it 3-0 for Royals and 0-3 for Mumbai Indians

“When I play domestically, this is the exact type of situation I go in to bat,” Parag told the host broadcaster after the game. “When Jos [Buttler] got out and Ash [R Ashwin] got out a little after, I was like ‘this is what I do, this is what I’ve been doing for the last six months playing domestic cricket’. So it was pretty simple to calculate everything.”Royals had restricted Mumbai Indians to 125 for 9 but were rocked early by Kwena Maphaka and Akash Madhwal. But Parag carried on unfazed and stitched a 40-run stand with Ashwin to calm down the camp.Parag had been used primarily as a finisher by Royals in the past, and his returns had been patchy.”I have had three to four years of not performing at all,” Parag said. “And you really go back to your hotel room and you think… that when you know you can do something and the performances are not coming, you get back to the drawing [board]. I tried finding what was wrong, and I figured out that I was not practicing at this level enough.”So I went back after the [last] season and practised very hard, and I think that’s showing now. I’ve practiced [against] these types of quick balls and these kinds of scenarios a lot, hence the performances.”

The former USMNT star called on MLS leadership to make changes to the league's season schedule ahead of the FIFA World Cup

Lalas says MLS must make changes before World CupWarned that failing to do so is wasted opportunityMLS's continued use of a spring-to-fall calendarGetty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED

With the 2026 World Cup less than a year away, former MLS star Alexi Lalas says the league should capitalize on the opportunity and implement the much-discussed change to a fall-to-spring schedule, aligning with the European calendar.

‘There was a evidently a vote from the MLS ownership group about whether they are going to change the season and play from fall to spring like most of the leagues around the world,” Lalas said on his State of the Union podcast. “If they were to agree to do that, that would be a fundamental change over the last 30 years of what has happened – and would be a monumental type of announcement. I'm not sure that they are going to do that because there are pros and cons to something like this. And for 30 years they haven't done that."

Lalas said MLS risks squandering a generational opportunity – given the anticipation over the World Cup, to be co-hosed by the U.S. – if league leadership fails to implement the calendar change.

“If you believe the rumors out there, that's not something that the ownership is going to vote in favor for, which is fine,” Lalas said. “It's certainly their prerogative… The 2026 World Cup is next summer. The time to do big, bold, different – dare I say arrogant – things is now. And if MLS comes and goes after the 2026 World Cup and has done nothing big, bold and arrogant, I look at it as a wasted opportunity. Again, easy to spend other people's money, easy to tell other people what to do.”

AdvertisementWHAT LALAS SAID

Lalas said MLS said announcing a change post-World Cup would be too late for meaningful impact.

“But that's just how I look at the World Cup next summer in terms of opportunity and platform to do big, bold things," he said. "And I'm telling you right now, whether it's MLS, NWSL or soccer in general… we still got a long way to go and we can do things that are bigger and better.

“And I'm just asking – I'm begging – for someone and people out there that are in positions of power to do big things relative to the 2026 World Cup.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

MLS Commissioner Don Garber discussed the topic of a schedule change during MLS All-Star week, suggesting there is increasing momentum.

"If it's going to happen, it's going to happen after the 2026 World Cup," Garber said. "So making this change is seismic. It's not something we should do lightly. We obviously have teams across multiple climate zones, multiple time zones, unlike any other league in the world. And if we do make the change, we're not going to go back on that decision.

"There are a number of key benefits to it. Aligning with the world standard, we think, is important for our brand as we try to continue to engage as one of the important, influential leagues in the world. We want to align with on the calendar to be able to be even more engaged on the player transfer market."

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Getty Images SportWHAT’S NEXT?

Major League Soccer leadership will evaluate potential schedule modifications. The league will hold it's next All-Star Game in Charlotte in 2026.

“You saw the number of tight finishes we had in last year’s IPL. So, you know, it has made a big difference”

ESPNcricinfo staff14-May-202411:03

Impact Player rule – should it stay or should it go?

The Impact Player rule in the IPL has not gone down too well with some current players and coaches, but former India coach Ravi Shastri is in favour of it, saying it has contributed to a number of thrilling finishes.”The Impact Player [rule] is good. You have to evolve with the times,” Shastri told R Ashwin on his Youtube channel. “You know, it happens in other sports as well. It’s got tighter finishes. You have to evolve with the times and I think it’s a good rule. You saw the number of tight finishes we had in last year’s IPL. So, you know, it has made a big difference.”While some – like India captain Rohit Sharma – feel that the rule is detrimental to the development of allrounders, Ashwin cited the example of Dhruv Jurel, who began his IPL career as an Impact Player in IPL 2023 and went onto make his Test debut for India within a year.”You know when any new rule comes in, there will be…people will try and justify why that’s not right,” Shastri said. “But in time when you see the scores – 200 and 190 – and then like you mentioned individuals grabbing that opportunity and making the most of it, people will start re-looking at how they think about it.”Related

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Ponting on the Impact Player: A 'nightmare' for coaches, a 'spectacle' for fans

Rohit on Impact Player rule: 'I'm not a big fan'

Jay Shah, the BCCI secretary, said last week that the Impact Player rule is “not permanent” and that a call on its use in subsequent editions of the IPL will be taken after a discussion with stakeholders after the 2024 T20 World Cup.”Impact Player is like a test case. We have implemented it slowly. The biggest advantage of it is that two Indian players are getting a chance [in each game], which is the most important,” Shah had told reporters at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai on Thursday. “We will consult with the players, franchises, broadcasters [and take a call]. This is not permanent [but] I am not saying that it will go.”[We’ll see] if it’s making the game more competitive or not. Even then, if a player feels that this is not right, then we will talk to them. But no one has told us anything yet, so it will be decided after the World Cup.”Rohit was the first high-profile Indian player to criticise the rule, which came into the IPL in 2023 after being trialled in the domestic Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy T20 tournament, allowing teams to bring in a 12th player at any point in a match to replace a player from the original XI announced at the toss.Among others to speak out against the rule were Axar Patel and Mukesh Kumar of Delhi Capitals (DC).DC head coach Ricky Ponting, however, had said he was happy for the IPL to retain the Impact Player if it was making the tournament a “better spectacle”. But from his perspective as a coach, he admitted he wasn’t too keen on the rule, calling it a “nightmare”.

The Paris Saint-Germain winger and two of his treble-winning team-mates have been inexplicably left off the shortlist for the men's prize

The Ballon d'Or never fails to create controversy. Rather amusingly, Real Madrid even refused to turn up for last year's ceremony after being upset by the just decision to give the prize to Rodri over Vinicius Jr. 

The award is, by its very nature, contradictory, in that it champions individualism in a team sport, while the inherently subjective nature of the voting is always bound to provoke a backlash. Ballon d'Or recognition has become a very important marketing tool in the modern game, though, so whenever a player is the victim of a perceived snub, it generates a lot of headlines.

So, which stars will be reeling after being left off the list of nominees for this year's Ballon d'Or – and its plethora of other prizes? GOAL runs through the most notable oversights below…

Getty Images SportBradley Barcola (Ballon d'Or)

Spare a thought for Bradley Barcola right now. The France international was one of the key players in Paris Saint-Germain's treble triumph – yet everyone seems to have forgotten that fact.

There's no denying that the winger had a slight dip in form towards the tail end of the season – but he hardly went AWOL for months on end like Cole Palmer. Nor did he miss a significant chunk of the campaign through injury, like Erling Haaland.

Barcola actually continued to contribute to PSG's success, scoring twice in the Coupe de France final win over Reims to take his overall tally to 21 goals in all competitions. It's also well worth remembering that the winger finished with more assists (18) than any other PSG player.

However, after missing out on inclusion in Luis Enrique's starting line-up for the Champions League final, Barcola has also missed out on a Ballon d'Or nomination – despite being directly involved in as many goals as Lamine Yamal last season (39 apiece).

AdvertisementGetty Images SportPSG's centre-backs (Ballon d'Or)

Nine players from PSG's starting line-up for the Champions League final annihilation of Inter have been nominated for the men's Ballon d'Or – and that's perfectly fair. The only question, in fact, is why were Willian Pacho and Marquinhos overlooked?

Pacho was absolutely sensational during his first season at Parc des Princes – at the back, in the air and on the ball. It's bizarre, then, to see players like Vinicius Jr and Jude Bellingham nominated ahead of the Ecuadorian colossus – despite winning nothing of note and having poor seasons by their high standards.

Marquinhos' omission is even more ludicrous. Few PSG players were more deserving of a Champions League medal than the Brazilian centre-back, who arrived at Parc des Princes in 2013 and thus endured the Parisians' most spectacular capitulations. The lessons he learned during those devastating defeats played a pivotal part in Marquinhos finally leading PSG to the promised land – along with his disciplined defending and excellent distribution (no defender completed more passes in last season's Champions League).

It's, therefore, astounding that the classy captain of a history-making, treble-winning team has not got the recognition his contribution not only deserved – but demanded.

(C)Getty ImagesAlexander Isak (Ballon d'Or)

Alexander Isak has clearly been punished for not playing any Champions League football last season – because there's no other possible reason for his exclusion from the Ballon d'Or shortlist.

The Sweden striker scored more Premier League goals than Haaland, who has been nominated, while he also fired Newcastle to a first domestic trophy for 70 years with crucial goals in the Carabao Cup against Chelsea, Arsenal and, most importantly of all, Liverpool – who are now desperately trying to sign Isak for a British-record fee.

The 25-year-old's exact worth is a current topic of much debate, but you'd be hard pressed to find anyone willing to dispute the 25-year-old's status as one of the best centre-forwards in the world right now, making his Ballon d'Or snub genuinely mystifying.

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Getty ImagesOmar Marmoush (Ballon d'Or)

Eight male players were directly involved in 40 or more goals in all competitions across Europe's 'Big Five' leagues last season. Only one of them didn't earn a Ballon d'Or nod: Omar Marmoush.

The multi-talented Egyptian attacker tore up the Bundesliga during the first half of the 2024-25 season, netting 15 times in just 17 outings for Eintracht Frankfurt, while also weighing in with seven assists. His sensational form earned him a big-money move to the Etihad Stadium, where he netted a hat-trick in just his third Premier League appearance.

Marmoush was the only signing Manchester City made during January to make an instant impact on Pep Guardiola's squad and, in truth, one of the few positives of an otherwise negative campaign. So, why on earth has Haaland been nominated for the Ballon d'Or after a stop-start season, while Marmoush has been left off the list despite producing the season of his career?!

After Nottingham Forest came close to earning Champions League football last term, which team is best placed to perform above expectations this time?

Here we go, then. The Community Shield has 'officially' raised the curtain on the 2025-26 football season, and we are now just days away from the Premier League's big kick-off, with champions Liverpool set to get us under way on Friday when they host Bournemouth at Anfield.

That means its predictions season, and here at GOAL we're no different. Over the next few days, our writers will be giving their takes on all the biggest issues, from the teams who are likely to be scrapping for survival to those who will be fighting for top-four finishes and the title, and everything in between.

Today, after a season in which Nottingham Forest led a bunch of mid-table hopefuls in challenging the established order, we've taken a look at potential surprise packages for 2025-26:

Getty Images Sport'Top six within Palace's reach'

Richard Martin: Crystal Palace will feel emboldened by their first-ever trophy win and, crucially, they have managed to keep their squad together, resisting the interest in Marc Guehi and Eberechi Eze thus far. Oliver Glasner's side had a slow start last season but hit their groove in the New Year, only losing four times in their final 21 league games. If they can pick up where they left off last campaign then a top-six finish is well within their reach.

AdvertisementAFP'No Europe will benefit Amorim'

Mark Doyle: Manchester United were atrocious last season – even after the much-heralded arrival of Ruben Amorim from Sporting CP – and Old Trafford remains beset by problems. However, there are some grounds for optimism surrounding a team coming off the back of a 15th-placed finish – not least the acquisitions of Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo. United may have overpaid for the pair, but they should help resolve the team's primary problem: scoring goals. Amorim should also benefit enormously from not only having a full-season with his players, but also the lack of European football, which means he'll regularly have a full week to prepare for Premier League games. So, while a top-four finish is beyond a still-unbalanced squad, United have every chance of re-establishing themselves as one of England's 'Big Six' – maybe even by winning a domestic cup competition.

Getty Images Sport'Fulham can qualify for Europe'

Amee Ruszkai: I'm backing Fulham to grab a European spot. Marco Silva is a great manager, and while his team have not made a splash in the transfer market, they've kept hold of all of their key players, something the likes of Brighton and Bournemouth can't say. Fulham were great at turning up against the big guns last term, and I think the consistency in their squad can help them become more reliable against the sides around them this year, especially given the likes of Crystal Palace, Newcastle, Tottenham and Nottingham Forest will be juggling European football.

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Getty Images Sport'Brighton can earn a top-six finish'

Tom Maston: Some might argue that predicting Manchester United to finish in the top five would qualify them as a surprise package, but given the money that has been spent on that squad, both this summer and in previous years, that should be the bare minimum requirement for Ruben Amorim. So, instead, I'm going to tip Brighton to force themselves into the European qualification picture and earn a top-six finish. The Seagulls went under the radar in finishing eighth last season, and Fabian Hurzeler has thus far been able to keep hold of the likes of Carlos Baleba, Kaoru Mitoma, Jan Paul van Hecke and Bart Verbruggen despite links with more storied clubs. They have taken a risk in spending big on young talents this summer rather than adding one or two more established names, but if any club is going to nail such signings, it's Brighton, and I expect them to be a more consistent force in Hurzeler's sophomore season.

Federico Chiesa dedicated his dramatic goal in Liverpool's 4-2 victory over Bournemouth on the opening day of the Premier League season to the late Diogo Jota.

Chiesa scores late goal for LiverpoolItaly international pays tribute to JotaLiverpool fans form mosaics before matchFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Powerful tributes were paid before, during and after the game to Jota, 28, who tragically died alongside his brother Andre Silva, 25, in a car accident in the province of Zamora in July.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

With Jota's family in attendance on Friday evening, fans in both the Kop and the Sir Kenny Dalglish stands came together to form huge mosaics which read 'DJ20' and 'AS30'.

WHAT CHIESA SAID

And speaking after scoring Liverpool's third goal on the night he described as "Diogo's day", Chiesa told BBC Sport: "[The goal] was a great moment for me, but my thoughts go to Diogo. I think for what we have seen, it was his day.

"The feeling the fans gave me, chanting his song all the way through the match, it was very emotional, very emotional for me. I have to say that after the goal my thoughts went to his family, his brother Andre. That's the only thing I could say."

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TELL ME MORE

Liverpool, who were initially 2-0 up thanks to efforts from Hugo Ekitike and Cody Gakpo, had their lead snuffed out with a second-half double from Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo, before late goals from Chiesa and Mohamed Salah ensured the three points went to Arne Slot's men.